Spirit Riders, Episode Two: Secrets abound
by chibiwriter
Summary: More about the Wind Ranger's kids becoming rangers. Dustin and Marah have been kidnapped and it looks like more than a few secrets are coming out...
1. I can't believe it!

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

"I can't believe this!"

"Ris, will you calm down?" Jeanie watched as her cousin bounced up and down on her bed. It should have jarred the scratches in her side, as she was lying in it, but Jeanie had woken up that morning to find her wounds almost completely healed. She still wasn't sure how she was going to explain it to her parents.

"I can't," Ris sang out, still bouncing. Damn, but the girl was like a walking sugar rush. "I can't stop! And I can't believe this!"

"I can hardly believe it – and I was there. We all were," David added from his perch on Jeanie's desk.

They were all there, her honorary cousins and Eva, their new friend and teammate. The Spirit Riders, as Dayton – their mentor – had informed them. It was the day after they'd faced their first monster – and blown him to bits, for your information.

They were now in Jeanie's room, buzzed up about last night's events – or rather this morning, depending on which way you swung it. And they didn't have to worry about being overheard – her parents had left with Declan earlier that day, just as they'd arrived.

"What I can't believe is that _David_ is the red ranger," Jay complained. He was sitting on her armchair, having dumped her clothes on the floor. "The leader!"

"I think it makes sense," Trev said, from where he sat at the foot of her bed. He bounced slightly with Ris's every jump. "David is a pretty good leader, and he's always has been. I mean, you, Jay, you're too headstrong, and you always act before you think. Not qualities you look for in a leader. And me," he shrugged. "I don't care about much about being a leader."

"I think it's cool, no matter what color we are," Eva said. She was the only one sitting on the floor, even though there was a free chair. But then, Jay _was_ using it for a footstool. "I mean, we're _Power Rangers._"

"Speak for yourself," Jeanie said. "I'm _pink_. I can't believe that I'm pink. I hate pink. Do I look like a pink person to you?"

To her chagrin, all her cousins – Ris included – snickered. "Don't forget you're also the unicorn," Jay teased.

"Urgh. Don't remind me. Pink _and_ a unicorn. How much more humiliating could it be?" She muttered. "I hate pink."

"I think you've already pointed that out," Trev said in a dry voice.

She glared at him. "Shut up Trev."

"I'm _glad _I'm yellow," Ris said, still bouncing slightly. "Yellow's always been my favorite color." She attempted to do a back flip off the bed, but only ended up hitting the floor with her butt.

"It would be," Jay said. "What with you being a – " An eraser flew from David's hand, hitting him square on the table. He jumped, cleared his throat. "A sunny person," he ended lamely.

An awkward silence filled the room, in which most of its occupants were looking at the girl sitting on the floor, her legs drawn up so she could put her chin on her knees. She studied them as well. "You know," she said finally. "It's kinda disappointing, that you feel you can't tell me whatever this big secret you're hiding is, after all we did together last night. But hey," she shrugged, and straightened out her legs. "I trust you. I've got to, now that we're teammates, and if you really feel that you can't tell me, then I'm okay with it. Doesn't mean I'm gonna bug you like hell to tell me though," she added.

The tension in the room lifted dramatically and Jeanie managed a smirk. "You won't get anything out of us," she declared.

"We'll see," Eva said with her own smirk.

"We're good at not telling people what they want to hear," Ris commented from her place on the floor.

Jeanie leant over the bed to look at her. "It's a wonder," she said in a dry voice. "With your big mouth."

"I so do _not_ have a big mouth!" Looking insulted, Ris sat up to glare at her.

"Jeanie, should you be doing that?' David asked.

"Doing what?" She broke her staring match with Ris to glance at him.

"Leaning over the bed like that," he said. "I mean, with those cuts and all."

"And you don't ask me that when Ris is jumping on my bed?" She asked him with a roll of her eyes. But when he – heck, when all of them continued to look worried, she sighed. "No, it doesn't hurt. They're nearly healed anyway." When they looked disbelieving, she frowned. "I'm serious. Look," and with that, she pushed down her covers and lifted up her sleeping top to reveal the now almost healed scars. "See?"

She was about to drop the top when Trev leaned forward, and poked them. "Hey!" She slapped his hand away.

He immediately held them up. "I'm sorry!"

"No, it didn't hurt. It was just ticklish."

"Do Uncle Hunter and Aunt Carla know they're almost healed?" Jay questioned.

"Of course not," she snapped at him. "I mean, how am I gonna explain it? 'Oh, it's all right mum, no need to fuss over me, they're almost healed even though, last night, they nearly cut right through to the bone!'" Finishing up, she glared at her cousin for his stupidity. "I'm good at passing things off, but I'm not that good."

"How'd they heal up so quick?" Trev asked, fiddling with his glasses. It was a habit he'd picked up from his dad.

"Could it be to do with those spirit things?" Eva asked. "I mean, Ris has the power to resurrect, it makes sense for all of them to have their own special power."

"Yeah. Point." Trev agreed.

"Don't remind me of the resurrection thing," Ris groaned, dragging an arm across her eye. "Anyway, I don't think it's that. I think it's more to do with being a ranger."

Leaning forward, Eva pulled her up arm so she could look into her eyes. "Oh?"

"My dad's into the Power Rangers. He's got a whole comic collection on them, even the ones that protected the city from those alien freaks all those years ago. They all reckon that Rangers have this like sped up healing process that allows them to go after monsters day after day without like dying or anything."

"That would certainly explain Jeanie's condition," Trev said.

"Can you stop talking about me like I'm not here?" Jeanie complained. "I mean, this _is _my room."

"Sorry Jeanie," David apologized.

"I wonder what other powers we have now that we're rangers?" Trev wondered aloud.

"Apart from super strength, super speed and kick ass weapons?" Jay asked in a dry voice.

Jeanie grinned. "Gotta admit, those are cool."

"Mine's the best," Ris said. "Daggers always are."

"What're we, seven?" David asked, raising his brows. "Jeez. Grow up Ris."

"Mine's the best," Jay shot back at Ris. "I don't have to be afraid I'm gonna cut myself on one of the blades or anything."

"It's official. We are seven," he said, as Ris and Jay began arguing over who had the most 'kick ass' weapons.

"Not us," Jeanie said in a dry voice, gesturing to the couple. "Them."

The door swung open and they all shut up. Hunter had to blink at the sudden silence. "Whoa. Is there a secret I want to know about?"

"No," Jeanie said in an airy voice, waving her hand. "Just Jay and Ris acting like a couple of seven year olds."

"I wouldn't say that," Trev said. When she glared at him for being a traitor, he grinned. "I would have said more like five year olds."

"Hey!" Ris launched herself at him. Taken by surprise he fell off the bed. They all laughed at the sight of them rolling about on the floor. Hunter stepped over them while crossing to his daughter's bed.

"Hey." Carefully, he sat beside her. "How're you feeling?"

"Okay."

"How're the scratches?"

"They sting a bit." The lie slipped easily from her lips, even as a heavy pit settled in her belly. This, she knew, was just the first of many lies.

"Let me see them."

As he reached for the cover, Trev quickly sat up, dislodging Ris, who'd been on him. "Dad said not to," he quickly blurted out. "It might aggravate them."

Easily buying it, Hunter dropped his hand. "All right then. If that's what Cam says…" he ruffled her hair and grinned when she glared at him. "Call us if you need anything," he said as he left the room.

Everyone waited until he'd closed the door behind him and heard the quick tap of his feet on the stairs before they spoke. "That," David said. "Was too close."

"Yeah." Jeanie smiled sarcastically. "Wouldn't do to be outed only a day after we become rangers."

"We should have a code name!" Ris said cheerfully. Everyone turned their heads to look at her. "What? It's a good idea. A code name for each of us. I could be…firebird, or something like that. That way, no one will know what we're talking about when we're talking about Ranger stuff."

There was silence. Then Jay spoke up; "no way am I going about talking in code. I'm not in fifth grade."

Ris looked sulky. Trev opened his mouth to say something when he was interrupted by a wired beeping tune. They looked around. "What is that?" David asked.

"It's coming from _your_ bracelet," Eva informed him.

He quickly raised it up, then paused. "Okay. Now what?"

"In my dad's comics, they always press the morphers and speak into them," Ris chirped up. "Like communicators except cooler."

"Okay." He pressed the tip of two fingers to the bracelet and raised it to his mouth. "Um…David here."

"David," Dayton's voice came through the bracelet, making him blink in surprise. Ris smirked and everyone leaned in to listen. "There is a disturbance downtown, near the old warehouses. Please inform the other rangers."

"We're on our way Dayton," David said before letting his wrist dropped.

"Well," Jay said with a reckless smile. He was already opening Jeanie's window. "Here we go again."

"Why're we going through the window?" Ris asked; head cocked to one side.

They all stared at her in disbelief. "Hello," Jeanie said at length. "Pretend invalid here. I can't really just walk out of the house."

"Oh right." Ris scrambled up and to the window. "Let's hope our ranger powers mean we won't break our legs doing this." And with that, she launched herself out the window.

Everyone paused. Finally, Trev said; "didn't she see the ivy growing on the side of the house?"


	2. Distraction

They ran to the warehouses on the other side of town; hearts pounding in their ears, breaths rasping through their chests. And, when they got there, they skidded to a halt in front of the crowd of Frissons and yet another monster. This one looked like a cross between a panda bear and a clock. "Ah, the Power Rangers!" The monster's voice was strangely squeaky and annoying. "Just who I was looking for."

"Ready?" David yelled, getting into morph position.

"Ready!" They returned, following his example.

"Dragon Rider, Ranger Form!"

"Griffin Rider, ranger Form!"

"Unicorn Rider, Ranger Form!"

"Phoenix Rider, Ranger Form!"

"Minotaur Rider, Ranger Form!"

"Centaur Rider, Ranger Form!"

"Let's show this thing what we did to its buddy last night," David said, his voice amazingly un-muffled by the helmet.

"Frissons! Attack!"

"Coward," Jeanie muttered as the foot soldiers swarmed forwards. The Rangers braced themselves for the first onslaught. It wasn't long in coming.

As if in a ballet, the Frissons struck together, those dangerous claws slicing through the air. The Rangers dodged, each in their own way. Rev dodged to the side, then whirled around until he was at the Frisson's back and he took great pleasure in kicking it in the ass. Jeanie ducked so the claws swished harmlessly over her helmet, then rocketed up and slammed her gloved fist into its head, watching in grim satisfaction as it blew up. Ris bent her body back until her hands could touch the ground, then kicked up, using her feet to hit it in the jaw. Boom went the head.

Jay took a quick step back, the tips of the claws barely grazing his chest. He grabbed the extended hand and used it to jerk the Frisson towards him and his outstretched fist. Eva moved to one side and thumped it in the chest before following that hit up with a roundhouse to its jaw. David kicked the claws away, then ducked under another swipe to punch its face full on. Sparks flew as the Frisson blew up.

Again and again, they dodged attacks and blew up the Frissons until Jeanie and Trev finally broke through the crowd. They immediately headed for the monster.

"Centaur's Staff!"

"Unicorn's Slings!"

The color coded weapons appeared in their hands even as they flat out ran for the monster. Trev struck first with his staff, catching the monster on its paw. It shoved back, sending Trev flying several feet back. "Trev!"

"I'm fine," he panted, rising to his feet. "I'm okay."

Behind the visor, Jeanie's eyes narrowed. In her hands, the slings began whirring. Over and over, until they were just a blur, the whining sound filling everyone's ears. Then, with a jerk, they stopped and two bright flashes of pink shot from their cradles, heading straight of the monster. It stumbled back, stunned as they rocketed into him.

Sparks flew from his torso, and Jeanie smiled with grim pleasure. She began swinging her slings again as Jay appeared, saber in hand. "After you cousin," she called at out.

She could almost see his grin behind that faceless mask before he whirled forward, saber spinning faster than any human eye can see.

He struck the monster in quick succession, each blow hard and fast. Then something told him to fall back, in time to watch another two hot pinpricks of pink light drill into the monster. This was quickly followed by a slim column of burning blue light. Eva had joined the fight.

The lights exploded on the monster, making it stumble back again. Trev appeared at Jay's side, and together, they began attacking the monster. It stumbled back yet a few more steps, before the clock face in its wide belly began to glow. Before they could react, a laser beam had shot out and hit all four Rangers. They were flung back to David and Ris, landing at their feet. Hurriedly, the two bent down to help them up. "You okay?" David asked.

"I'm fine," Eva replied, and the others agreed.

"Good. Let's put them together!"

Somehow, they managed to put together a sword, a bow, two slings, two daggers, a saber and a staff to create a weapon. "Spirit Cannon! Fire!" They called together.

That swirling mass of grey they'd seen only once before exploded from their weapon, the force making their shoulders shudder. It headed straight for the monster, who turned on clumsy feet and tried to escape. No luck. It exploded without so much as a squeak.

"Oh yeah! Jay called out, disengaging his ssaber from the Spirit Cannon. He began to do a weird little dance, watched by the others, who laughed at his antics.

Suddenly, Dayton's voice filled their ears. "Rangers, I am afraid that was merely a distraction."

David raised his hand to the side of his helmet. "A distraction? What're you talking about, Dayton?"

Silence. Then he spoke. "I suggest you return to Jeanie's house immediately."

They exchanged looks through open visors. "Let's go," David said in a grim voice.

They barely had time to climb back into Jeanie's room, close the windows, and take their former positions when the door opened. This time it was Calum, who ran to his sister as soon as he saw her. Behind him was…well, everyone else. Ris, hugging Calum, looked at her honorary aunts and uncles. "What's wrong? What happened?"

They all looked tired, older than their true ages. Ris's eyes darted through the crowd in the doorway. Something inside her froze up and the arms around Calum turned numb. "Where're my mum and dad?"

"That's what we're here to talk about," heavily, Tori walked into the room, with Blake by her side.

Awkwardly, sensing her presence her was intrusive, Eva got up. "I should go."

"No." David's hand clamped around her wrist. "Stay." So she stayed, wriggling on the desk beside him.

Tori and Shane crouched beside Ris. Kapri sat behind her and put her arms around her niece and nephew's shoulders. The others stationed themselves around their own children. Declan sat on Jeanie's bed, grabbing her hand and holding on tightly. Trev found himself holding his two younger sisters. David's sister stood beside him, leaning heavily on his shoulder. All waited for the news.

"They're gone," Shane said in a soft voice. "They were at the house, you know, watching T.V. Calum was upstairs in his room. He heard some noise downstairs and went down to see what was happening. There were those…orange freaks in the room, and this guy. They…they took your parents Ris."

"What? They…no!"

She trembled, and clutched her brother – the lone remainder of her family – closer. "Ris." This time it was Tori who spoke, and she brushed some hair away from her niece's face as she did. "We're not going to call the police."

"We're…not?"

Hunter shook his head. "No. We're not."

"Why?"

"You know your mum…is. Well. You know," Cam finished lamely.

"It'll be too difficult to explain. And besides your dad is…well. You know," Shane added, glancing at Eva. She pretended not to notice.

"Besides, we've got some people who can help – better than the police," Cam added.

"Better?"

He nodded. "You'll stay with us until we find your parents," Tori added. "All right?"

"Okay." Ris nodded, but her mind was still numb.

"Come on guys," Cam said in a quiet voice. "Time to make some calls."

They all nodded and the adults rose. Without a word, they filled out, Tori and Shane last. Ris was still holding on to Calum. "Guys?" David asked, looking at their various siblings.

Declan reached over and took Calum from Ris. "Hey, you wanna play Playstation?"

It was a cold substitute for his parents, but Calum nodded anyway. Trev's sisters wouldn't let him go. He grunted when one of them – Sara – began cutting off his air supply.

Mary-Anne, David's sister, finally got them off him and took them out, closing the door behind her and leaving six ashen faced teens with pits in their bellies. David waited a while before lifting his communicator to his mouth and pressing his fingers on it. "Dayton?"

"Yes David."

"We need to talk."


	3. You're what!

**Disney: Everytihng you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

Dayton had appeared in the abandoned lot where they had gotten their powers. Without a word, he led them through a portal into an underground chamber. The command base. As soon as the portal closed behind them, David turned to face their new mentor. "What happened?"

"I do not know," Dayton admitted, moving to what looking like a huge mirror hanging in the middle of the room. "This is a…T.V. screen I suppose you would call it. It enables me to view the outside world, through magical means of course. My sensors, I suppose is the word, are attracted to the presence of evil. That is how I am able to inform you of attacks. Unfortunately, Pleance knows this all too well. That is why he saw the monster with a large amount of Frissons. Combined, they have an evil that is greater than his own, and a few Frissons. That is why I did not know of the attack of Marissa's parents until it was too late." He paused to look at them. "It is no excuse, I know, and I apologize."

"It's not your fault," Ris replied, her voice small and cold. "You weren't the one to take them."

"What I don't get," Eva said finally. "Is why they won't call the police."

The others fell silent and, as one, turned to look at David. He tapped his fingers on his thigh, then sighed, and his shoulders drooped. "I guess," he said. "It's time for some answers."

They had gathered themselves on opposite sides of the room, Eva realized. She and Dayton on one side of the chamber, the others on the other. Two different sides. Not how a team should be. But she stood on her side of the room and waited for their explanation.

"Our parents don't have what you'd call a normal job," David began. "And we don't have normal co-curricular activities."

"We're ninjas," Jay broke through. He'd never been patient.

"I'm part samurai," Trev volunteered. "Well, I have samurai training, I mean," he added.

"Our parents run secret ninja schools," Jeanie said. "My dad's the headmaster of the Thunder Ninja Academy, Trev's dad's the headmaster of the Wind Ninja Academy. The rest of our parents work between the two as teachers."

"Apart from mine and Jeanie's mum," Jay added. "But they know about the academies."

"Wait a minute!" Eva's voice snapped out and she held up her hands to emphasize. "You're telling me…you're ninjas. And your parents work at some top secret ninja academies?" As one, they all nodded. "That's unbelievable!"

"As unbelievable as Power Rangers and spirits of mythological creatures?" David asked quietly. Eva dropped her hands. Damn him, he had a point.

"But that's not why we're not calling the police," Ris said quietly. "We're not calling them 'cause my mum's an alien."

"A what?"

"An alien." Ris repeated. She was sitting on the ground now. They all were. "I don't know how she and my dad met; they've always been really vague about it. But my mum is an alien. And so's my aunt Kapri. They're humanoid, with similar biology to us, but their biochemistry is totally different." She sounded like she was reading it all from a textbook. "My parents found it difficult enough to legally marry. To report her missing…it would be total chaos. We can't afford the officials to ever find out about my mum's origins. They'd probably take her, take me and Calum."

Eva, though not usually an emotional person, found herself tearing up at the pain in Ris's voice. So she bridged the gap between them to sit beside her and, awkwardly, put an arm about her shoulder. "I won't tell anyone," she promised. "No one." Then she had to laugh. "It's not like anyone would believe me."

They had to grin at that. "Good point," Jeanie admitted. "But the point is, we've been told to keep it a secret since birth. Aunt Marah's origins, the schools, our parent's jobs."

"You can't tell _any_one," David added. "Not even our parents. If they know that you know, we'd be grounded for life."

"All right," Eva said. "Anyway, what would I say? 'Pass the peas mom, by the way, did I tell you my new friends are ninjas and one of them's a half alien?' Yeah. Right." She rolled her eyes and grinned.

They laughed this time, and it went a long way to break the tension. "No more secrets?" Eva suggested with a smile.

Ris nodded and took the hand still on her shoulder. "No more secrets," she agreed.

Dayton moved forward then. "I do not know what Pleance would want with your parents," he said. "They do not have any powers."

The ninjas stirred. "Actually," David said, looking slightly guilty. "They do. Along with their ninja powers – extra speed and extra fast reaction times – Ris's dad is an earth ninja. And Aunt Marah was some alien powers."

"Meaning?" Dayton asked.

"She can zap lasers. And Uncle Dustin can go under earth for indefinite periods of time, as well as control it to some extent. Oh, and Aunt Marah has a little control over water." Jeanie added, almost as an afterthought.

Dayton was silent for a moment. "This still does not explain why he took them. Lasers and powers over earth and water are nothing compared to Ris's powers."

"Do you know who your parents might be calling?" Eva asked, looking at David.

He shook his head. "No idea," Trev added.

"Until they call them, I think it will be better if you return to your homes," Dayton decided. "Then we shall have to decide on what course of action to take."

"I think we should go after Pleance right now," Jeanie muttered, her temper evident.

"We do not know where he is hidden," Dayton replied. "Even my sensors cannot track him to where ever it is he has made his lair."

"Dayton's right, Jeanie," David said. "We should go back, see who're our parents are calling. Maybe they can help us."

"Probably not," Jay muttered, but he nodded when David stared at him. "But it's a good idea." He shrugged. "Not saying it'll work."

"Contact me if anything further occurs," Dayton said. "This chamber will always be open to you for as long as you are Rangers."

"Thanks Dayton," David said as they all stood and prepared to leave. "And Dayton…?"

"Do not worry," Dayton assured him. "I will keep an eye on all your families while you are otherwise occupied. I will _not_ allow this to happen again."

"Thank you," they said. Eva was the last to leave. She glanced back at him, and he gave her a reassuring smile before she stepped through the portal and back into her own world.


	4. Kidnapped

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

_Dustin came to slowly. Damn, but that thing that had hit him had hit him hard. He found himself lying on a bare floor of stone. He pressed his palm to it, soaking its coldness as he struggled to sit up. A frightened voice called to him through the darkness; "Dustin?"_

_His head snapped around. "Marah!"_

_There she saw, her back to a hard stone wall, her eyes wide with tears, hands pressed to her belly. "Dustin. Oh, god, you're all right. I thought you were…" those tears broke their dam, flowing down her cheeks._

_He moved forward, ignoring the pounding in his head as he put his arms around his wife. "Hey, hey. Ssh. It's okay. It'll be okay. We're okay," he added. "All three of us."_

"_I know. I know," she sobbed out. "But I'm scared. And worried. What about the kids, Dustin. Oh my god, what about the kids!"_

_Though her anguished cry twisted his heart and sent chills up and down his body, he managed to speak normally enough; "don't worry. You know Tor and the others will look after them. And Kapri won't let anything happen to them. You know how mean she can be when she wants to be."_

"_Yeah," she managed to stop her tears, her breath shuddering as she struggled to regain her calm. "Yeah. I know." She lifted her head to look up and around at the chamber they were in. "Where are we?"_

"_I have…no idea," Dustin admitted, looking around as well. "Last thing I remember is…those orange freaks Ris and the kids were telling us about. And some freak with big ears," he added._

_She smiled wanly at his description. "Yeah, I remember them too. What do you think they want with us?"_

"_I have no idea," Dustin said, getting up to feel around the chamber. There seemed to be no windows, and no door. Dustin could see no way how they could have gotten in – and no way how they could get out. He couldn't burrow through stone. And Marah wasn't good enough to collect enough water vapor in the air to use. It looked like they were stuck. "Man, I wish Cam was here," he added. "He'd figure out a way for us to get out of here."_

"_Cousin will be worried," she said. "And so will Uncle Kanoi."_

"_They all will," he bent over to inspect the point where wall met floor. They seemed to flow into each other seamlessly. "Great!" Frustrated, he slammed his fist into the wall. "Oh, wonderful!"_

"_Dustin." As always, her voice soothed him and he turned to watch her get up painfully and waddle to him. "Hitting stone won't help." She took his hand and blew over the injured knuckles._

"_I know," he managed a grin. "But it sure makes me feel better."_

_She smiled back at him and lifted her hand to cup his cheek. He turned his head to press his lips into her palm._

"_Well, well, well," a voice filled with lazy amusement cut through the quiet affection surrounding the couple. "Isn't that a pretty sight? How I hate pretty sights."_

_Dustin turned to face the man who had kidnapped them, instinctively pushing Marah behind him. "Who're you?" He demanded. "What do you want with us?"_

"_A little experiment," he replied, his voice taunting. Man, did they devote a whole class to getting that taunting tone just right? Dustin wondered. He'd heard it so many times in Lothor's voice. "What do you get when you combine 'alien' DNA with an earthling's DNA? Someone very unique, I suspect."_

"_He knows," Marah whispered, before strengthening her voice. "How do you know?"_

"_I know many things," he said, slanting an eye at her. "Many, many thing about your daughter that even you don't know."_

_Rage flooded Dustin, making him grit his teeth and resist the urge to just streak through the chamber and pound him. "You keep away from Marissa," Dustin said in a deathly quiet voice. "You touch her and you will regret ever living."_

_He laughed. Damn him, he laughed! "I believe those are threats the bad guys – i.e. me – should be making Do not worry, I won't lay a finger on your daughter. She'll come willingly to me. After all," he added with a smug smile. "I have her parents."_

_With that, he left as abruptly and mysteriously as he'd come. But his laughter lingered in the air, taunting them. Slowly, Dustin became aware of Marah's fingers gripped his arm, her nails biting into his skin. He turned to look at her._

"_What does he want with Ris, Dustin? What could he want with Ris?"_

"_I don't know, Marah," Dustin said heavily, taking her heaving shoulders and wrapping his arms about them. "I. Just. Don't. Know."_


	5. Oh man

Early morning found Eva at David's house, sharing a cup of coffee with his little sister. Marah had already had three cups but was, uncharacteristically, not bouncing off the walls. "Aunt Tori says I don't have to go to school tomorrow," she said dully, staring blankly at the fourth cup of coffee before her. "Not if I don't want to. Calum says he's not going," she added, and added a spoonful of sugar to her drink. She'd already put five.

"I don't think you should," Mary-Anne said. She was a small girl, who took after her dad in the looks department, but was every part her mother's daughter in the brains and mentality. "Jeanie and the rest are in most of your classes. They could take notes for you."

"I would," Eva added quietly. Ris nodded despondently, but didn't say a word. "So," Eva said after an awkward silence. "Where's David?"

Mary-Ann looked at her. Eva thought there was something that looked suspiciously like laughter in them but it was gone before she could be sure. "He's still konked out. David sleeps like the dead." She added. "And doesn't wake up 'till eleven. Unless his alarm clock wakes him up."

"Typical teenage boy," Ris added, sounding a little like her old self. "It takes forever to wake Jay up."

"But Trev's okay," Mary-Anne said. "He's a light sleeper and an early waker."

"Urgh." The grunt came from the kitchen door. Eva turned to see David standing in the doorway, dressed only in a t-shirt and boxers. His hair was a shaggy mess and his eyes were half closed. "Urgh," he repeated.

"Gosh, you're up early," Mary-Anne said in a suddenly chipper voice. "What woke you up? Hope it wasn't Calum's snores."

He cracked one eye fully open to glare at her. "Coffee."

"Here," Ris held out her mug.

He took it and took a deep gulp. And gagged. Putting the mug at an arm's length, he looked at its contents. "This isn't coffee."

Taking pity on him, Eva got up and took a mug from the cupboard she'd seen Mary-Anne take the others. Pouring a fresh mug, she gave it to him. He practically inhaled it. By the time he was done, he looked a little more alive. He gingerly put Ris' mug down beside her elbow. "That was disgusting."

"Was it?" Ris took a sip, shrugged. "I don't taste anything wrong with it."

"Urgh," was his only reply, before heading out again. "I need a shower."

"Oh, I think all the hot water might be finished!" Mary Ann called after him.

"If it is, I'm getting a bucket and dousing you with water!"

Mary-Ann turned her head to grin at Eva. "It's our morning routine. Usually, he looks more like a caveman."

"I don't think caveman had that blond hair," Eva replied, and had Ris laughing her first laugh of the day.

"David hates his hair." She informed the girl. "Once, he tried dying it black, but it turned out green for some reason…turns out, he left the paste on his hair for too long. Had to go round with a head of green for the rest of the year. Aunt Tori's never let him near hair dye ever again."

"I called him weed head," Mary-Anne grinned. "He didn't appreciate the nickname."

The doorbell rang then, cutting short any other funny tales they might have of David. "Gosh, visitors, and it's not ever ten past eleven yet. Must be Trev and Jay," Mary-Anne added as she hopped off the stool to answer it.

A few minutes later, she re-entered the kitchen, looking decidedly dazzled. "Kira Ford's here," she said in an awed voice. "And she says she knows my mum and dad. And that she and her friends are here to help look for your dad. I don't believe this. _Kira Ford_ is in _my_ house."

The two older girls stared at each other in mute surprise. What would an international superstar like singer Kira Ford be doing in humble Blue Bay Harbor? Actually, how could a teacher in a secret ninja school come to know a star like Kira Ford?

With a silent agreement, the girls flew off the stools to peek into the living room. Sure enough, there was Kira Ford, with four other men. One was really, really tall, and slim, with dark brown hair. Another was a shorter black man, with a completely shaved hair, dressed in a snazzy suit. The one sitting next to Kira was of Spanish heritage, with copper toned skin and black hair. The girls recognized him as Kira's husband. The last was decidedly a few years older than his companions, with a neat salt and pepper bread and black hair graying at the temples.

"Hey, what're you guys staring at?"

David couldn't help but be startled when they turned to his with two resounding 'shut up!'s. "Kira Ford is here," Ris added, turning back to stare at her.

"Kira Ford?" He peeked in as well. "You're right! She _is_ here. She is totally hot."

Eva had to roll her eyes at his typical male response. "Ssh! Your parents are coming in."

Sure enough, from the other side of the room, Blake and Tori entered. The occupants of the room immediately stood up. "Hey," Blake said in a quiet voice, shaking hands with all of them. Kira hugged Tori. "Thanks for coming."

"Of course we'd come," the man with the beard and graying temples. "When any Ranger – even an ex-ranger – is in trouble, we're always here to help."

"Do you think…this has to do with Lothor?" Kira asked, her face troubled. "Or Mesagog?"

"Can't be," the black man said. "We destroyed all traces of them."

The eavesdropping teens stared at each other with wide eyes. Suddenly, the tall man cleared his throat. "Do your…um, kids _know_ about your history."

"No," Tori shook her head vigorously. "We've always kept that under wraps."

"Well, then…" lamely, he gestured to the open doorway. "Looks like they know now."

Blake's head snapped around. "David?" He called. "Mary-Anne?"

Slowly, the three teens stepped into the room. David was shaking badly. Ris was staring at her Aunt and Uncle with wide eyes and an agape mouth. Eva wasn't sure where to look. A heavy silence filled the room. Finally, David spoke; "you're Rangers. You're Power Rangers?" Slowly, reluctantly, Blake and Tori nodded. David began to back away. "Man, oh man, I don't believe this. Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you…why?"

"Because we couldn't," Blake thundered back before gaining his control. In the quieter voice, he added; "We couldn't, David. It's in every Ranger's code of honor to not tell others unless they're rangers."

"But I'm your kid!" David yelled. Eva had never seen him like this. But then, she'd only known him for a week, and the weekend hadn't exactly been a smooth ride. So she stood back and watched as he glared at his parents. "Don't you think I have a right to _know_?"

They didn't say anything. It was Ris who spoke next. "Are my…were my parents…?"

Tori shook her head. "No," she said in a soft voice. "Only your dad."

"Oh. Man." Ris paled as the facts clicked into place. And they weren't very pretty. "Oh man," she repeated.

Responding to her distress, David slid an arm around her shoulders. She sagged into him and Eva placed a hand on her arm, offering her what little comfort she could. For the second time in as many days, she was privy to family information she didn't think she should be. But, still, she stood there by her friends.

"Come on," Tori stepped forward and took her niece's hands. Gently, she led her over to a couch, and sat her down. Eva sat beside her and David, rather heavily, thumped to the floor at their feet. The anger seemed to have gone, and in its stead left the quietly confident boy Eva knew.

"Do you think," he asked, "that Uncle Dustin and Aunt Marah were taken because they're former Power Rangers?"

The adults looked at each other awkwardly before the man with the beard said in a calmly quiet voice. "We're almost certain of it."

"Oh man," Ris repeated and scrubbed her face with her palms.

David dropped his head to his hands. "Oh man," he said as well. Eva didn't know what to say.

That was the scene Trev and Jay walked into. They hadn't bothered to knock – they were at David's house half the time anyway, and had their own keys. Hearing some sound from the living room, they'd walked straight in to see Kira Ford, four other guys, their Aunt Tori and Uncle Black all standing in front of a couch. On it sat Ris and Eva. On the floor in front of it, with his back resting on the seat, sat David.

"Uh…hi," Jay managed.

Ten pairs of eyes swept over to fix on them. Trev resisted the urge to duck behind his cousin. He settled on muttering; "nice work Jay." He was never comfortable around strangers.

Aunt Tori moved first. "Jay. Trev. Hey. You're here to see David." It was more comment than question but they nodded all the same. "Um, well. Here he is."

"Yeah."

Silence reigned once more. "Okay…" Eva said with a long drawn out sigh. "This is awkward."

Still, nobody spoke. Then a strange tune filled the air. David jerked guiltily. "Um…phone," Trev said hastily to cover for him. "Mine. 'Scuse me." He disappeared into the hall, and they heard quiet murmuring. He reappeared, face drawn and pale. "We've got to go. Come on, Jay. David, Ris, Eva."

They scrambled up, David was the last to leave the room. "David." He turned to look at his dad. "Don't….don't tell anybody."

His son didn't reply as he left.


	6. Ransom message

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

"What's up Dayton?"

They raced to the empty lot, had tumbled through the portal and now all six of them stood in the chamber, facing their mentor, impatience vibrating through their bodies.

He turned away from the big screen, his eyes trouble, his mouth slightly pursed. "I have bad news."

"That much is obvious," in frustration, Jeanie pushed at her hair. "What is it?"

He turned back to the screen, and with a wave of his hand, set it glowing. "This transmission was just beamed to me. Watch," he added, putting a stop to any further questions.

They did as he said, and watched the screen as glowing black faded to an all too familiar face. Jay was the one who said his name in a low growl; "Pleance."

The face smiled lazily, as if he'd heard. "Hello Power Rangers. Oh, and Dayton too," he added, almost in afterthought. "I am sorry I cannot be there to watch your expressions, but, unfortunately, I have other business. Namely…two prisoners I have to keep an eye on." The image changed to that of a tall, lean man and a heavily pregnant woman in a dark chamber. The man was running his hands on the walls, his face scrunched with frustration. The woman was sitting, both palms on her belly, watching him with quiet concern. A choked sound escaped Ris's throat. Pleance's voice could be heard over the image; "I believe they are the parents of one of your rangers…" he paused, and it was a heavy silence. "And, according to my readings, the male used to be one of yours as well."

Jay, Trev and Jeanie took a step back as if hit. The rest just continued to stare at the screen intensely as the image switched back to Pleance's face. "I want a simple exchange; two for the price of one. Give me your yellow ranger or I will destroy them. You have until midnight tonight. You will meet me at the old quarry where, I'm told, your father and his companions fought quite a few monsters, or see these two die." He paused yet again. "Oh, I forgot about the babe in the female. Make that these _three_ will die." The screen went blank.

For a long moment suspended in time, the chamber was frozen. Then Jay; "Ranger? Uncle Dustin was a Power Ranger?"

Jeanie, her eyes sharp, looked at the other three. "You three don't seem too surprised by this," she said. "Is there something you're not telling us?"

"We knew…just before Dayton called. We knew," Ris replied in a quiet voice. "We kinda…eavesdropped on them and another team of Power Rangers."

"Wait." Trev held up his hands. "When I walked in, all I saw were four guys and Kira Ford."

Jay's eyes nearly bulged out; "You mean _Kira Ford_ was the Power Ranger too?"

"This…is too much," Jeanie muttered, sitting down. "Man, Dayton, don't you have anything more comfortable than hard cold floor?"

"I apologize," he said immediately, and turned away from a moment. When he returned, there were six multicolored cushions in his hands. He handed them out.

Jeanie stuck the pink one under her butt, then settled, sitting cross-legged with her hands on her knees like she was meditating. The others sat in a loose ring, all facing Dayton.

"Okay, time to re-evaluate," Trev said. "This is what we know; Pleance has Uncle Dustin and Aunt Marah. And he wants Ris. And Uncle Dustin used to be a Power Ranger."

"And my parents," David added. There shouldn't be any secrets between them. Not anymore. Besides, they had promised.

"Okay. And Aunt Tori and Uncle Blake," Trev added them to the mental list growing in his head.

"Okay, that's three," Jeanie cast her mind back, thinking of all the news articles she'd read about the last Power Ranger team that had protected Blue Bay Harbor. "But there were six. A girl…that would be Aunt Tori. And five guys." She added. "Two are already accounted for…" she broke off as the facts clicked into place. "Oh man. This can't be…they can't be…he's not…oh man." She repeated and dropped her head into her hands.

"What?" Trev asked urgently. "What is it?"

She lifted her head to peer at them over the top of her fingers. "I think my dad was a Power Ranger as well. And Uncle Shane and Uncle Cam." She added. Her friends stared at her, agape. "Well, think about it," she sat up straighter. "They're really close. And if Uncle Blake was a Power Ranger; it'd make sense for my dad to be one as well. They usually do things together. And, before the Power Ranger team, there was little to no contact between the Wind and Thunder Academies. After words, we suddenly became best buddies. And it would explain why Uncle Cam is so close to people who don't really…well. Who aren't really his _type_." She lifted her hands and bent her first two fingers as she said the last word.

"Wait. My dad can't be a Power Ranger," Trev said. He was fiddling with his glasses again. "I mean…he's my _dad._ He wears glasses."

"Trev…" Jeanie looked at him. "You're a Power Ranger. And you wear glasses."

"Oh. Yeah." He sighed and dropped his hands. "Man. My dad. The Power Ranger."

"Let's not jump to conclusions," David said, holding up a hand. "So far, the only ones we know are Power Rangers for sure as my parents and Ris's dad. Until we hear otherwise from them, we have to assume they're just normal people."

"Normal people who happen to have super ninja powers and teach at super secret ninja academies." Eva murmured.

Jay grinned at that. "Yeah. Just your regular Joes."

"Rangers," Dayton spoke once more. "Of this deal that will take place at midnight…"

They sobered up. "We can't risk it," David said. He looked at Ris. "I mean, they're your parents and all – and I love them almost as much as you do. But we can't risk it. Who knows what'll happen if Pleance manages to raise his master again."

"But they're my parents." Ris's bottom lip shook but her eyes flashed fire. "I can't just let him kill them."

"I have an idea," Jeanie said. They looked at her. "It's risky, and we'll be risking exposing ourselves to our parents…but it's an idea."

David looked at the five faces turned to him and couldn't help but wonder just when he'd become the leader, expected to make all the hard decisions. But, he was the leader, and he _did_ have to make the hard decisions. So he gave a firm nod and said; "let's hear it."


	7. The Plan

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

"So…David, Ris, and their friend, Eva know?" Cam said, fingering his glasses. Thy lay in the palm of his hand, which rested on his knee.

"Yes," Tori sighed, suddenly feeling every bit her age. "The look on David's face…"

"They'll tell the others," Shane said in a quiet voice. "You know how close they are."

Blake immediately bristled. "I told David not to. I'm sure –" at the look on the others' face, he deflated. "Yeah. Man, I hate it when you're right."

"And Trev and Jeanie will put together the rest," Cam said. "They're so clever sometimes, they scare me. How Hunter came to have a smart kid still amazes me."

"What I'm worried about is that other girl. Their friend from school." Hunter said from where he was leaning on the wall. For once, he did not rise to Cam's insult. "The kids…they've been keeping secrets their whole lives. We know _nothing_ about this girl."

"They trust her," Tori said, recalling the scene from the morning before, when they'd had the hard duty of telling Ris what had happened to her parents. "If they trust her…then I suppose we should trust her."

"They're kids," Hunter said. "What do they know about trusting?"

"_We_ were about their age when we became Power Rangers," she shot back. "Dustin was their age when he trusted you guys. When he believed in you guys – when we all did. You tried to kick our asses, and we still trusted you, and look how things turned out. So, tell me," she said, blue eyes drilling into blue eyes. "What _do_ kids know about trusting?"

"Okay, okay," he muttered. "You've made your point." An awkward silence filled the room.

There were the only Wind Rangers there. The former Dino rangers had gone back to their hotel after the less than pleasant scene that morning with David, Ris and Eva. The doorbell rang, putting an end to the silence. "That'd be Kira and the rest," Blake thought aloud, and went to answer it. Sure enough, Kira, Conner McKnight, Trent Fernandez-Mercer, Ethan James and Dr. Tommy Oliver filled the doorstop. "Hey," Blake said, stepping by the let them in. "We'd thought you'd be back by now."

"One word," Ethan said in a sarcastic voice. No matter how many years passed, he still retained the sarcastic wit that he had perfected in high school. "Paparazzi." As he said it, he gave Kira a pointed look.

"I said I'm sorry," she said, sounding peevish. She pulled off the hat she wore and jammed it on the hook behind the doors. "Jeez. How was I to know that stupid receptionist was a fan?"

"Kira, you're a singer. A pretty big one. Most people know what you look like, whether they're fans or not." Conner pointed out, raising his eyebrows.

"Guys, let's get back to the business at hand," Dr. O said in his quiet voice. At sixty-three, he was still lean and fit. "We have to find Dustin and Marah, remember?"

The three nodded, while Trent looked amused. Sometimes, they seriously reminded him of the teenagers they'd been. "Is everyone here?" Conner asked Blake.

"They're in the living room."

"Will there be any more…little surprises?" Ethan asked.

"No, the house is all clear," Blake replied. "We sent the kids out with Jasmine, Leanne and Carla. Kapri is at the Wind Academy." As he spoke, they moved to the living room, where the others awaited.

"Finally," Hunter said, impatience lacing his voice. "What –"

"Don't ask," Conner interrupted in a short voice, eyes flicking to Kira. "Have you heard anything bout Dustin and Marah?"

"Nothing," Shane replied in a tight voice. "It doesn't make any sense." His hands clenched. "_If_ they were exposed, then it'd be over the news by now. And if they were taken because they're ex-rangers then…then _why_?"

"Shane's right." Tori said. "It _doesn't_ make any sense." She turned to Blake, and let herself sink against his chest. "Tommy, have you contacted the others?"

"Everyone I can get a hold of," he replied. "Everyone but the Space Rangers are coming down. We can't risk T.J. and rest coming here and looking for Dustin. Just in case they _haven't_ been exposed."

"That's a very slim chance," Cam spoke up.

Tommy turned to look at him. "It is, yes, but we can't take that risk."

"What could they want with Dustin unless it's because he's a former Power Ranger?" Trent wondered aloud.

"Got it in a nutshell."

At the new voice, they turned to look in disbelief at the six people ranged in a line just inside the doorway. And they couldn't believe their eyes. Three boys and three guys – because they couldn't be taller than teens – dressed in too familiar multicolored suits and helmet with dark visors that hid their features stood in the Bradleys' living room.

"What?" Without thinking, they moved until a longer line faced these new Rangers. "Who're you?" Shane demanded.

"Power Rangers," the red ranger replied simply. Though muffled, his voice sounded suspiciously familiar.

"What do you know about Dustin?" Conner snapped out.

"He was a Power Ranger," replied the boy in black. "And he and his wife are being used as hostages."

"Hostages?" Tori repeated.

"They want a power only we can give them," answered the pink ranger. "But this power could mean the destruction of our galaxy."

"And you can't give them at power," Trent said. "But you can't let a fellow Ranger die."

"No," agreed the blue ranger. "That's why we need your help."

They veteran ranges looked at each other, then returned their gazes to this new generation of Power Rangers.

"Tell us what to do." Tommy said.

A quarter moon hung in the inky sky above the quarry. Looking up at it, hidden in the bushes above the deep hole, Tori bit back a shudder. "Too many memories in this place…and none of them particularly good."

"We'll get them back, Tor," Shane promised, taking her hand and giving it a good squeeze. "We've been through bad times, and we've gotten through it. We'll get through this as well. Don't worry."

"I can't help it." But she gave him a smile because she knew he was as worried as she was. "But I'll try not to."

They were just one of the teams scattered through the bushes overlooking the quarry. The Bradley brothers were one, Kira and Ethan another, Trent and Conner together, and Cam and Tommy the last team. Below them, the new team of Rangers waited in the middle of the quarry.

The plan was simple. The other rangers would stall the kidnappers for as long as possible, while the teams moved down the quarry sides. Then they would attack – a flash attack one of them had described it as. They were hoping that they enemy would be taken by surprise and wouldn't react until they'd at least gotten Marah out of danger. Dustin could fight as well as any of them. It was dangerous, and it wasn't guaranteed to work, but it was the only plan they had.

Finally, the moment they were waiting for arrived. Without the flash of light that had signaled Lother's arrival, or the sudden opening of a portal that signaled Elsa's and Zaltrax's, the enemies of the team appeared. One was a darkly handsome man, another a freakish monster, and finally, a horde of orange foot soldierss, exactly like the ones their children had described. "So you came," the man said, his voice somehow carrying over to Tori and Shane high up on the cliff's lip.

They waited until the red ranger shifted – the signal – before they began climbing down. They could see, through the night, the darker shadows of the rest climbing down as well.

"Where are they?" The yellow ranger demanded.

"Come to us first," the leader replied.

"Hell no," the black ranger stepped in front of her. "What are they?"

"Here." He shifted aside, to show tem the couple being held by the orange freaks. For a moment, clinging to the quarry's sheer face, Tori was frozen. Dustin was struggling, his lips parted in a snarl. Marah couldn't struggle – she was held too tightly, and her pregnancy made it awkward for her to even try kick out.

She hissed in a quick breath when Shane touched her arm. She looked at him and he started climbing again. After another moment, she followed, landing silently on the stone littered ground. The Rangers were still talking. "Let them go first." Said the pink ranger.

"And have you run away to Dayton? I think not. The Phoenix comes to me first."

"I'm not going anywhere until you let them go," the yellow ranger shot back, her hands fisting at her sides.

They struck then. Shane was first, striking the nearest orange freak in the guy, then swinging it into another. Hunter slammed his foot into the one holding Marah's left arm. It stumbled back, its claws not releasing their hellish grip on Marah's soft arm. Hunter cursed at that.

"Their heads!" The red ranger yelled as the man turned to look at the disturbance. "Go for their heads!"

As if to emphasize his words, the black ranger surged forwards and struck the nearest orange freak in this wide-stretched face. It exploded. Blake immediately followed his example and slammed his fist into the one still holding Marah. It disappeared in the sparkle of lights, freeing one arm. His brother freed her other. "Come on," Tori appeared then, sliding one strong arm around her waist. "Let's get out of here."

They were on the defense now, Kira and Trent slapped back to back as they tried to hold back the now hordes of orange freaks with claws. Conner, Ethan, and Tommy were side by side, ducking blows, and hitting the orange freaks where ever they could. Hunter and Blake were working together – as they always did – occasionally using each other to bounce off of and hit an orange freak. Tori and Shane mainly concentrated on trying to get Marah out of the rabble. Cam had released Dustin from the five freaks holding him and they were struggling to get to Marah.

But, even through the chaos, Cam watched and noted how the six new Ranger fought. And most of their moves were familiar to him. Far too familiar.

The man and his monster had stepped back to watch the action. He called more of his foot soldiers, pouring them into the mix, a half smile on his face as he watched the results. They were painfully outnumbered, and the Rangers were busy both fighting and defending the older fighters. It was time. "Destroy them," he said to his creation. His Master had always appreciated his creations. "Destroy them all."

"The Frissons?"

His upper lip curled slightly, revealing those pearly white fangs. "Destroy them all," he repeated, before disappearing into the darkness. Tonight would be the night the Rangers died.

The monster – a cross between a Doberman, an alligator and a koala bear raised its paws. They were a koala's paws, topped off with claws as lethal as the Frissons. It began summoning the dark energy that resided in all of Pleance's monster creations. It whirled within the cradle of its paws, a glimmering dark substance that formed into a ball.

Sensing something, the red ranger turned in time to see the monster with that dark ball hanging in the air between its paws. His eyes widened behind his visor, then he jumped, yelling as he did. "Watch out!"

The others turned at the warning, and eyes widened behind dark masks at the furiously whirling mass of dark matter. Then they jumped without thought, to protect the more vulnerable of their companions. The beam struck the six figures full on, taking several Frissons out, sending the Rangers flying back, smacking into the rest of the Frissons on the way. They landed on the ground in front of a horrified Shane, Marah and Tori.

As the monster powered up for another shot, the others ran towards them. Dustin reached them first, and stood shoulder to shoulder with Shane. They had yet noticed that the Rangers had been hit hard enough to force them to de-morph.

As one, they lifted their hands to allow their elements to run through their bodies. Then, as they had once before, they swung their arms out and let streams of power stream from their fingers, joined and melding until they created one clear channel of power, heading straight for the monster.

It hit it straight on. It let out a strangled scream, before exploding, bright sparks raining down on the stone littered ground. As before, the three ninjas had used their ninja powers to defeat a monster.

Panting, they dropped their arms, then looked at the others, who were kneeling over the de-morphed rangers. And swearing.

They looked down at the rangers and, as one, let a string of curses fly. Because, lying on the ground, at their feet, pale faced and bruised, their breathing even from unconsciousness, were their children.


	8. Secret's out

The first thing Jeanie was aware of was a headache, pounding mercilessly at her temples. The next was a murmur of voices, the swish of cloth moving. Then a shadow fell over her. Slowly, painfully, she managed to open her eyes and squint at the face above her. _Dad_. Even as recognition – and relief – flooded through her, she caught a dangerous light in his eyes, the hard set of his jaw. _Crap. He knows._

The thought had barely registered before his voice rumbled and he spoke; "Jeanie's awake."

She struggled to sit up, trying to use her arms as levers. But they were as sturdy as water, and she fell back against the soft surface, a cushion pillowing a fall of her head. Gently, her dad slipped an arm under her back, bracing so she could sit up and he could arrange the pillows so they supported her better, so she was – at the very least, half sitting up.

In this new position, she could see the room better. They were in Uncle Cam's living room – his house was the one closest to the quarry, she remembered. Lying on the various couches were David, Jay, Ris and Eva. Jeanie had no doubt Trev was upstairs, lying on his bed. And no doubt that his parents were hovering over him just like her dad was hovering over her. "Where's mum and Declan?" As soon as the question passed her lips, she nearly winced. Wonderful Jeanie, she berated herself. Ask the most stupidest, inane question you can think of straight after your dad finds out you're a power ranger.

"At home." He replied. "Waiting for us, I imagine."

"And….everyone else?"

The couch dipped and she knew he was sitting beside her legs. "Tommy and everyone has gone back to their hotel. Tori and Blake are in the kitchen, making drinks for everyone. Cam's in the guest room with Dustin and Marah, making sure Marah's okay. And Shane's in the bathroom."

"No I'm not." Uncle Shane ambled into the room. He stopped by Jay, and passed a quick hand other his hair, and bending down slightly to make sure his breathing was still regular before he joined Hunter and Jeanie. "How're you feeling?"

"Okay, I guess."

"One good thing about being a Power Ranger is an accelerated healing process," Uncle Cam said in his dry voice as he entered the room. "Which would explain the sudden disappearance of your scratches."

"Yeah." Embarrassed, Jeanie pressed a hand to her tummy. "We found out about that after our first fight."

"You fought?" Hunter said. "With your scratches?"

She ducked her head, but honesty urged her to nod. She heard a muffled oath, before she was wrapped in her dad's arms, his lips pressed to crown. She closed her eyes and buried her face in his shoulder. "Jeanie," he pulled away, and smoothed a hand over her hair. "Oh God Jeanie. I hoped you'd never know what I went through," he looked at Shane and Cam. "What we went through."

"Dad…?" The call came from Ris, who was struggling to sit up. "Mum?!" Panic laced her voice.

Faster than the eye could see, Dustin was in the room, by her side. How he'd heard her when she'd barely whispered, no one bothered to wonder. "Ris!" He pulled her close, hugged her, then pulled away. "How could you take a risk like that Marissa?"

"I had to. You and mum…where's mum?"

"She's all right." He cupped her cheek. "She's okay."

Tori and Blake appeared in the doorway, Blake bearing a tray and Tori holding two steaming mugs. Their tense expressions melted into relief when they saw that Jeanie and Ris were awake. And that, even as they stepped into the room, Jay was stirring. Unlike Jeanie, Jay managed to push himself into a sitting position, and he blinked blearily at the figures around him. "Urgh…" was all he could manage.

As if that were a signal, Eva opened her eyes, and wrinkled her nose. "I smell coffee," she announced, then somehow managed to prop herself on one elbow. Her hair hung over one eye.

"Here," with a friendly smile, Tori handed her a mug. "Take sips," she advised, before helping her to sit up fully.

Beside Eva, David squeezed his eyes open, spotted his mum, and promptly shut them. Her smile turning tender, she reached out a brush a lock of hair from his brow. "I saw that, David Aaron Bradley. I know you're awake."

With a sigh, he opened his eyes and looked at her. "I'm sorry." He said. "Sorry I didn't tell you. But we had to keep it a secret. Dayton said –"

"Whoa, hold on man," Blake placed a friendly hand on his son's shoulder, before helping him to sit up. "I think we need to get over the fact you're Power Rangers first. All of you."

"And what about you," Jeanie challenged. "Uncle Dustin, and Uncle Black and Aunt Tori weren't the only Power Rangers either, were they?" She looked at her dad. "You were one too."

"Yeah," he managed, and pulled at the lock of hair lying against her shoulder. She looked so much like her mother, and was so much like her – apart from her love for motocross and her bright blue eyes. "I was the Crimson Thunder Ranger."

"I was the Navy Thunder Ranger," Blake added, hand still on David's.

"Blue Wind Ranger," Tori said.

"Yellow Wind Ranger." Dustin said.

"Red Wind Ranger," Shane said.

"And I was the Green Samurai Ranger," Cam finished.

"Figures." Came a raspy voice from the doorway. "You always did like green."

"Trevor!" Cam leapt to his feet and took only a few quick strides to cross the room. "You shouldn't be out of bed."

"They're up," he pointed at his cousins and friends.

"But they're not walking down stairs, are they?" He berated his youngest son even as he helped him cross the room and take the seat beside Jeanie's couch.

He didn't reply, only slumping heavily into the chair and looking at the scene before him. "How's Aunt Marah?" He managed.

"She's doing okay. And, as far as I can tell, the baby is fine, as well," Cam replied automatically, before dragging a hand across his face. In his other hand, he fiddled with his glasses. "As for my emotional state…" he squinted at Trev. "That's another matter all together."

Trev ducked his head, unable to meet his dad's face. It was Eva who finally broke the awkward silence; "We couldn't tell you. It's in the Ranger's code to _never_ reveal our secret unless forced to. Dayton told us."

"I'm thinking Dayton is their version of Sensei," Shane said in a dry voice with a forced smile. Only Dustin managed a chuckle, though Eva had to wonder how, after all he'd been through.

"_You_ never told us," Jeanie pointed out, staring at her dad. "You know how it is."

"Yeah. We do." Hunter gave her a wry grin. "I'm guessing it'd be hypocritical to tell you you can't fight the big bad monsters."

"More than hypocritical," Jay replied, taking a sip from his mug.

"We just don't want you to go through what we did," Tori said in a sad voice. "But, now, it looks like there's no choice."

David took his hand in hers. "You know why we have to do this mum."

"Yes. I do." She said.

"We all do," Shane added. "Doesn't mean we'll like it."

"But you won't stop us," Trev said, finally looking up from his bare feet.

"No," his dad said with a heavy sigh. "We won't."

"Eva," Tori said, suddenly turning her head to look at her. "Do your parents know you're out?"

"They think I'm staying over at Jeanie's house," Eva admitted. "They won't expect me until after school tomorrow."

"Okay. I think it's better if you all sleep here tonight – where Cam can keep an eye on you." Shane decided, standing up. He eyed his son. "By the way, which ranger are you?"

"Black one," he replied. "David's red and Trev's green," he added helpfully.

Shane didn't say anything as he left the room with the other parents, but they distinctly heard him say to Tori; "that is _so_ wrong that your kid's the red ranger."

The new team of Power Rangers looked at each other and burst out laughing.


	9. Welcome to the family

**Disclaimer: Everything you recognize belongs to Disney/Haim Saban**

_A/N: Okay, to clear up any confusion, and because I've read over my story and it confuses **me** a little, here's a quick list of the Wind Ranger's families:_

_Cam m. Leeanne (Sensei's Omino's daughter) and has five kids (Trev)_

_Shane m. Jasmine, and has one kid (Jay)_

_Blake m. Tori and has two kids (David)_

_Hunter m. Carla and has three kids (Jeanie)_

_Dustin m. Marah and has three kids - now (Ris)_

_You might meet Eva's parents later on. Thank you for reading my story!_

It was on Wednesday when Ris raced over to where Eva and her honorary cousins were sitting, idly talking. It was a few hours after school and they were hanging out by the motocross track. Their parents – with the exception of Eva's – had slowly adjusted to them being Power Rangers. Thankfully, there hadn't been any further battles – yet. Which was kind of worrying to Dalton, but the teens were just enjoying a break from the constant fights that had filled their weekend.

"Guys! Guys!"

Jeanie turned her head to watch the all too hyper half alien dash across the length of the park. "Look," she said in a dry toned voice. "Ris is coming."

"I'm not deaf," David said with a roll of his eyes.

"Do you think they can hear her in Canada?" Eva asked.

"Probably," Trev said, not looking up from his laptop. He was working on yet another upgrade for his computer. Jay didn't say anything – he was stretched out on the grass, half asleep.

Ris woke him up and tripped over his outstretched leg. He jerked up, while she lay on his knee, winded from both her mad dash across the park and her fall. "Hi Ris," David said in a lazy voice, leaning down from the picnic table with its attached benches. He tilted his head to look at her.

"Hey guys," she managed in a breathless voice, scrambling off Jay and managing to knee him in the gut. He groaned.

"God, you weigh…" he trailed off when she looked at him. "Not as much as I thought," he finished.

"Sucky save," Jeanie informed him. "You should have said light as a feather."

"I can't lie outright," Jay replied with a straight face.

"What's up Ris?" Eva asked.

"Mum's given birth!" She announced with a silly grin. "It's a boy!"

David grinned. "Cool."

"Congrats," Trev added, still not looking away from his laptop.

"You won't be so happy when they're all ganging up on you," Jeanie said. "Take it from one who knows." Then she grinned and pulled her in to hug her tight. "Props, Ris, you got another little baby brother."

"Are they taking visitors?" Jay asked, scrambling to his feet.

"Course," she said, already hopping from one foot to another. "Come on, let's go!"

They got up, and waited for Trev to shut down his laptop before they started heading out. At the park exit, though, Eva made to part way. David caught her by the arm, and brought her to an abrupt halt. Everyone looked at her. "Where're you going?" He asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Home," she said in a tone that indicated the answer shoulder be obvious.

"Why?" Ris asked, her brow furrowed.

"Because you guys are meeting your new cousin for the first time," she replied in an exasperated voice. "It's supposed to be a family only thing."

Jay snorted. "Please. You do realize none of us are blood related, right?"

She leveled her gaze at him. "But you _are_ family. Blood doesn't always mean family." The words held an underlying layer of bitterness.

David looked at his cousins, then at her. "Come to the hospital with us."

Jeanie nodded her agreement. "If you don't, we can just get Jay to carry you over his shoulder – like a Neanderthal. He enjoys that sort of thing."

"I don't think David will allow me," Jay said with a snicker – that quickly died down when David glared at him.

"Come to the hospital with us," David repeated, and tugged on her arm to emphasize his point. "Come see the baby."

She hesitated. They were all looking at her, Ris bouncing on her heels with anticipation, Jeanie with her head tilted slightly to one side, Trev beside her, his laptop in its case by his thigh and Jay was just watching her, waiting for her answer. "All right," she said reluctantly. "I'll come."

"Ex-cel-lent!" Ris said, before taking off running. Laughing – and breaking the subtle tension that had fallen over them – they followed her bobbing figure down the street and towards the hospital.

There, outside the maternity ward, they weren't surprised to find their families, talking and congratulating a grinning Dustin. As soon as they spotted them, they broke out into wide grins of their own. "See that you rounded them up," Jasmine said to Ris.

"Yep," she replied. "Have you seen the baby yet?"

"They're bringing him to her for his first meal," Dustin replied. "We're just waiting."

"I've got a baby brother," Calum said with his own wide grin. "It's too cool."

"Yeah. But you've got to be careful around him," Kapri said. "And you know you can't play any of those games that you play with your friends with him yet, you know."

"Yeah, Aunt Kapri." He smiled at her. "I know."

"How's Aunt Marah," Jeanie asked.

"Tired," Dustin replied. "But happy."

"There he is!" Carla Bradley said as a nurse pushed a baby's small plastic bed towards them. "Come on," they began to go into the room to join Marah.

Eva hung back. Dustin, holding the door open, looked at her. "What's the matter?"

"I should go," she said awkwardly. "This…it's a family thing."

"Yeah," he agreed. "It is." When she started to turn to go, he added; "all the more reason for you to get in here."

She turned. "Huh?"

He had to grin at her baffled expression. "Eva, you've been privy to secrets some of our kids don't know. You've been with us, and helped us through a difficult time. And our kids trust you. If that doesn't make you family, then, sweetie, we haven't been making you feel welcome enough." He held out an arm, urging her to take his hand. "Come on in."

Hesitantly, she stepped forward and he immediately curved a fatherly arm around her, herding her into the room behind the baby.

Carefully, aware of more than twenty people watching her, the nurse picked up the quietly mewling baby and gave him to his mum. With a grin that simply light up her pretty face, Marah looked down at him. "Hi honey. How are you?"

The others crowded in, not really noticing as the nurse left, breathing a soft sigh of relief. "He's so cute," Leanne gushed, stroking a finger down his downy cheek.

"He looks like a pug to me," Jay commented, and earned a glare from all the females in the room. "I meant, a very cute pug." He amended.

"Nice save," Jeanie said with a laugh.

Marah looked up and saw Eva, who was standing at the foot of the bed, looking very uncomfortable. "Hey, you want to hold him?"

She blinked, startled. "Who? Me?"

Marah couldn't help the giggle that escaped her. "Yes. You."

"All right," She agreed, approaching her cautiously. With ginger hands, she took the baby, cradling him in her arms. Light grey eyes peered through narrow cracks at her, and she couldn't help but smile. Feeling a hand on her shoulder, she looked to her right to find David. They surrounded her; Ris, Jeanie, Trev and Jay. And they were all grinning widely. It was Ris who said what everyone in the room was thinking; "Welcome to the family."

And Eva knew she was talking as much to her as the baby.


End file.
